Latch



Patented Oct. 18, 1927.

UNITED ySTMES PATENT OFFICE.

PETER J. BELTZ, or srinLwATna-MINNESOTA. l

' LATCH.

Application filed December 3, 1926. Serial No. 152,466.`

A. further object of the invention is to provide a. latch that is semi-'automatic in its operation and will latch itself upon the closing, o f the closure having the latch associated therewith.

Another object of the invention is to provide a latch that can be opened by the application of a finger thereto, and upon the opening thereof it will force and swing the closure to which it is associated to open position.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in theV combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated inv the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims. p f

In describing my invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughoutpthe Iseveral views, and in which:

Figurel is an edge elevation of the latch forming the subject matter of the present invention and showing the same attached and in latched position. v

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a similar sectional kView but showing the position o'f the latch member for receiving the keeper incident to the latter moving the same to operative' position.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken vertically through the keeper and showing the same in applied position.

Figure 5 is a .detail view of the latch member per se.

Referring to the drawings in detail they letter A indicates a lpost or a frame for a gate or door B and secured to the gate or door as shown in Figure 4 is a substantially U-shaped attaching member 1 which has centrally projecting from its bight portion a keeper formed by a hea-ded pin 2 and a sleeve 3.

Secured to the frame of the gate is anattaching member 4 as best shown in Figures 2 and 3, and fulcrumed to the attaching member adjacent-one side thereof is a latch member 5 having an arm extending from itsfulcrumed point and terminatingy in a linger piece t. bent atrightanglesthereto, and

extending in an opposite direction from the Vfulcrun'ied point kis a lever/ having a cam surface 8 which terminates at lts 'inner end in a recess 9 which as best shown in Figure 3 is arranged ata right angle to 'the cam surfaceS and exten-ds into the latchingiarm 10 which is also provided with a cam surface 11 and terminates in its outer end in afinger piece 12. Y

'ihe attaching member 4 has portions cut therefrom and arranged atr right angles thereto to provide stops 13 and 14. The stop 13 limits the movement of the latch member in one direction and is arranged in the path of the lever 7, while the stop 14 limits the movement of the latch member in its opposite direction and is arranged in the path 0f the latching arm 10. f

From the above description and disclosure of the drawings, it will be obvious that the latch which forms the subject matter of the present invention is semi-automatic in its operation and when associated with a closure structure such as a gate, door or the like, upon closing of the closure member the keeper will engage the cam surface 11 of the latch arm 10 and slide along said cam surface untilV it engages the lever7 which forces the keeper vinto the recess 9, and when the keeper is in this last mentioned position, the closure member'cannot be moved to open position until'force is applied to the arm 6 or the latching arm 10, and this force will cause the keeper to bemoved out of they recess for engagement with the cam surface 8 of the lever 7 and it will be obviousthat if ber will cause the closure member to be swung to open position. The latch member can be actuated with very little effort on the part of the operator to swing the closure member to open position, and vwhen it is desired to close the closure member a slight` push thereon will be all that is necessary to cause the latch member to operate and receive the keeper in its recess to retain the closure member in closed position.. v

It is thought from the foregoing description thatfthe advantages and novel features f of my invention will be readily apparent.

I desire ittobe understood that I may make changes in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is :f

l. A latch of the character described comprising a iulcrumed latch member, aniarm included in said latch member, a latch arm formed with said latch-member and being provided with a cam surface, a leverformed with said latch member andbeing oppositely disposed` with respect to the arm first mentioned, said lever being provided withl a cam vsurface terminatingat its inner vend into a recessdisposed at right angles to the cam surface, a keeper adapted for cooperativeY engagementwith the cam surfaces and recess respectively, zand stops for limiting the movement of said latch member in opposite directions. i

x g2. A latchof. the character described comfor cooperative association with the cam sur-` `face of the latch arm whereby the latter will position the same in a recess .disposedat right angles to the cam surface of the lever7 and the cani surface of saidV lever being adaptedl for slidable engagement with the keeperfor operating the latter as vand for the purpose specified.; n

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